COVID-19: Laying the groundwork for business recovery

The rapid global spread of COVID-19 has forced business, education, and social activities to be conducted virtually. But amidst the crisis, platform companies are enabling video conferencing, food, grocery and essential supplies delivery, AI-driven COVID-19 tracking, social connectivity, and entertainment for a restless population sheltering in place. Providing this sense of “normalcy” is becoming more important every day as people across the world adopt new digital behaviors.

Digital behavior changes due to COVID-19

Source: Google Surveys1, 2 and Accenture analysis

With an expected increase in global reliance, platform companies must act now to implement essential functions that come with this vital cross-industry leadership role. The challenge will be managing current business while laying the groundwork for future recovery and growth.

The 5 essentials platforms must get right. Now.

Based on our work in major platform hubs from Silicon Valley to Seattle, and Shenzhen to Hangzhou, we believe leaders should focus on five areas for short-term continuity and long-term success:

1. Provide continuous global accessibility

Platforms have taken the weight of society’s need for information, to stay connected, work, operate businesses, and stay entertained.

Next steps:

Review end-to-end points of failure

Accelerate use of AI in key tasks

Critically review and optimize service offerings

Help accelerate the journey to cloud

Shift from crisis management to risk management and forward planning

2. Enable changing behaviors

Platforms must lead with humility as new purchase and digital behaviors will almost certainly benefit platforms over the longer term.

Next steps:

Provide tools and holistic services

Educate newcomers with intuitive products and support

Rekindle goodwill across communities and SMBs

Infuse creative and innovative methods of working and social engagement into existing products

Proactively identify and address user challenges across platform features

Act now to protect against future crises

The COVID-19 crisis is a human tragedy that will have a lasting impact on our lives. Platforms are in a unique position to help resolve wide-spread challenges as the crisis unfolds. As a result, platform companies will likely experience increased adoption and digital behaviors that will remain long after the crisis is over.

Platforms play a vital role in helping their employees, customers, ecosystem partners, and communities weather the COVID-19 crisis. Leaders must act now to create normalcy and stability while laying the foundation for growth and protection against future crises.

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